Attachment for straight-knitting machines



July 21, 1925. 1,546,799

' J. E. SHOEMAKER ATTACHMENT FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1923 1/ I \r ATTORNEYS.

July 21, 1925. 4 1,546.799

J. E. SHOEMAKER ATTACHMENT FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1923 4 Sheets$heet 2 14 j -NVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

July 21, 1925. 1,546,799

J. E. SHOEMAKER ATTACHMENT FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS.

July 21, 1925. I 1,546,799

J. E. SHOEMAKER ATTACHMENT FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 24, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet I II 2 21mm muazanuumm 1 VENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

- 50 the e Patented July 21, 1925.

lJN-lT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

uun's 1 sHoEM'AxER, :or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ATTACHMENT FOR STRA I EGHT-KNITTING MACHINES.

' Application filed May 24, 1923. Serial No. 641,196.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMESE. Si-IOEMAKER,

a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Philadelphia, State 5 of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Attachment for Straight-Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification. v

My invention consists of a novel attachment for straight knitting machines and comprises a novel construction for electrically controlling the carrier rods for a straight knitting machine, whereby I am enabled to dispense with the friction boxes heretofore employed and by the manipulation of suitable switches, to control the energization of electromagnets carried on the "friction box rod and-positioned in .a

, novel manner with respect to said carrier rods, whereby upon closing the proper circuit and energizing the desired electromagnet, I am enabled to causethe desired car rier rod to reciprocate in unison with the friction box rodon which each electromagnet is mounted.

It further consists of a novel manner of I mounting the electromagnets and the mag 'net" rods coacting therewith, each magnet rod being directly connected to its respecso ti (yo-acting carrier rod.

It further consists of a novel construction and collocation of magnet rods and carrier rods, the latter-being connected by brackets of varying lengths common thereto, whereby each magnet rod and its respective carrier rod is actuated or reciprocated in unison as a unit, upon the closing of the. desired jelectric circuit.

I -It further consists of novel means for in 4 0; dependently controlling the' reciprocations of any desired carrier rod, by electric devices each being controlled by a manually operated switch, so that upon the closing of the proper circuit, the desired carrier rod. can bethrown into operation and caused to function in the usual way. I

It further consists of a novel manner of mounting the electroma ets upon. the slur cock rod near each end 0 the latter, whereby latin is also electrically controlled, as Wlll be ereafter explained. I

It further consistsof other novel features of construction and advantage, all aswill be hereinafter fully set forth in 'thespecii fication, and pointed out in the claims.

For the purpose of illustrating my invention, I have shown in the accompanying drawings, a form thereof which is at present preferred by me, since the same will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that I the various instrumentalities of which my invention consists may be variously arranged and organized and that my invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic plan- I view of a portion of a straight knitting machine, equipped with electrical controls, embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a rear View of a portion of said straight knitting machine, having my electric control devices applied there to, certain parts of the knitting machine being omitted for sake of clearness of illus-. tration. V

Figure 3 represents, on an enlarged scale a plan view of one of the electromagnets employed, showing one manner of mounting the same on the friction box rod and showing also the relative position of themagnet rod, and the carrier rod coacting therewith. Flgure 4 represents a vertical section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Figure 5 represents on an enlarged scale,

brackets of varying lengths used in connection therewith, each of which is secured to its respective carrier rod, whereby a desired magnet rod, its bracket and carrier rod are operated in unison or as a unit.

Similar numerals of reference indicate cor- 'res onding parts.

eferrin to the drawings. In carrying out my invention, it is'to be understood that the same is adapted to be '10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 represent I a perspective view of a magnet rod and the applied to a flat or straight knitting machine of the Cotton type of any conventional or standard type and as the general construction and mode of operation of knitting machines of this general character is well known, I have shown only such portions of a straight knitting machine, as directly coact with my invention, since the remaining elements of said machine a.rc.of any standard or conventional type.

Referring first to Figure 2, which is a rear view of a portion of the machine seen in Fig. 1. 1 designates a portion of the frame or housing of a straight knitting machine and 2 designates the slur cock rod, which is reciprocated by means of a link 3, which is at one end pivotally attached to the link 4. and at the other end, pivotally attached to the block 5 secured to said slur cock rod. The block 5 rides upon and is guided by the guide .rod 6, which runs the full length of the machine.

It will be evident that the link 4 can be oscillated or actuated in any suitable manner, as by the mechanism seen at 7 in Fig. 2, and as the construction and mode of op eration of these parts from 2 to 7 is well known, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate or describe the same in greater detail.

Near each end of the straight knitting machine is located the bracket 8 through one end of which passes the slur cock rod, while the rod 9 passes through the opposite end of said bracket, both rods being secured to said bracket, whereby it will be apparent that the slur cock rod and the rod 9 reciprocate in unison or as a unit, with said brackets.

It will be understood that in my inv en tion, I omit the friction boxes entirely from the rod 9 and substitute in lieu thereof the electrical devices, comprising the electromagnets and their adjuncts, which will next be described, it being further understood that there are as many eleetromagnets employed, as there are carrier rods, seven be ing shown in the present instance, this being the usual or conventional number of carrier rods employed in straight knitting machines of this general character.

Referring to the left-hand portion of Fig. 1, it will be seen that the electromagnet 10, is mounted on the left hand portion of the rod 9 and provided with a core 11. In-close frictional or sliding contact with the core] 11 is the magnet rod 12 (see Figs. 7 and 8), 13 designate-s a bracket which is connected at one end with the magnet rod 12 and at its other end to the first carrier rod 14. The next electromagnet 15 isanounted upon the rod, 9 in any suitable manner and provided with a core 16 which is in frictional contact with the magnet rod 17 (see Figures .1 and 9). .1

18 designates a bracket having one end secured to the magnet rod 17 and its other end secured to the next or second carrier rod 19.

The next electron'iagnet 20, mounted on the rod has its core :21 in sliding contact with its magnet rod 22 (see Figs. 1 and 10).

23 designates the bracket, secured at one end to the magnet rod 22 and at the other end to the next or third carrier rod 24.

The next electromagnet 25 is mounted on the rod 9 and provided with a core 26 which is in sliding or frictional contact with its magnet rod27 (see Figs. 1 and 11).

28 designates a bracket having one end secured to the rod 27 and its opposite end secured to the next or fourth carrier rod 29. (See Figure 11.)

The next magnet 30, mounted on the rod 9, has its core 31 in sliding or frictional contact with themagnet rod 32. (See Figure 12.)

33 designates a bracket having one end secured to the magnet rod 32 and its other end attached to the next or fifth carrier rod 34.

designates the next magnet mounted on the rod 9, which is provided with a core 36, which is in sliding or frictional contact with the magnet rod 37. (See Figure 13.)

3S designates a bracket havingone end secured to the magnet rod 37 and its other end secured to the next or sixth carrier rod 39. I

40 designates the next magnet mounted on the rod 9 and provided with the core 41, which .is in frictional or sliding contact with the magnet rod 42, seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 14.

43 disignates a bracket, having one end secured to the magnet rod 49 and its other end secured to the next or seventh, forward or front carrier rod 44. i

As will be understood from Figs. 8 to 14, each successive bracket is slightlv longer than the other preceding it and the bodv portion of each bracket, as seen in Figures 9 to 14 is somewhat offset in order to bridge the necessary space between the respective magnet rods and their appropriate carrier rods to which said brackets are connected.

In Figure 3, I have shown the right hand magnet, 40 of Fig. 1, its magnet rod and the carrier bars, as turned around from the position seen at the right of Figure 1.

It will be evident that the electromagnets 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 49 may be mounted in any convenient or desired manner upon the rod 9, and in Figures 3 and 4, I have shown one preferred form of mounting which may be employed. The rod 9 may be round or 1 square and in the present instance I- have shown the same as being square in cross section and engaged by the pendant flanges 45, which depend from the l'lO base member 46 through which passes the bolts or other fastening devices 47. Upon the. base member 46 is mounted the upper portion 48 of the supporting bracket, which may be of the contour seen in Figs. 3 and 4, said bracket supporting the electromagnet 40, as seen in' said Figs. 3 and 4, and the core 41, which becomes magnetized when the magnet is energized, is carried by said bracket in any suitable manner.

It is. obvious that the electromagnets re ferred to can be supported upon the rod by other means than that shown, if desired.

Referring now to the right hand portion of Fig. 1 and Figs. 5 and 6, it will be seen that an electromagnet 49 is mounted near the end of the slur cock rod 2, and provided with a core 50, which is in sliding or frictional contact with the magnet rod 51. The magnet rod 51 is fastened to the block 52, which is fastened to the rod 53, the left hand end of which (seen in Fig. 5) is Socured in the arm 54 while the right hand end is secured in the bracket 55.

The upper ends of the arm 54 and the bracket are slidably mounted upon the slotted guide rod 56, seen in Figs. 5 and 6, so that it will be apparent that when the magnet 49 is energized, its core 50 will be magnetized and will attract or grip "the magnet rod 51, consequently the slur cock rod 2, magnet 49, magnet rod 51, block 52, rod 53, arm 54 and bracket 55 will reciprocate or move in unison or as a unit.

The clamp arm 89 which is mounted upon the bracket 55 will also reciprocate in unison therewith, said clamp arm engaging the proper or desired carrier rod by any suitable means as will be understood from Fig. 5".

In Figs. 5, 5 and 6 I have shown the plating clamp arm 89 as composed of the jointed members 85 and 86, the terminal of the latter interlocking with the desired lugs 87 of the blocks 88, which are mounted on the carrier rods. This structure and mode of operation being well known need not be described in greater detail.

The manner of mounting the right hand illectromagnet 49 upon the slur cock rod by 1e sectional view in Fig. 7 and need not be described in greater detail, as any other attaching means may be employed.

The structure at the left hand end of Fig. 1, wherein the magnet 58 having its core 59 and magnet rod 60 and their adjuncts are illustrated, has thesame construction and function as the mechanism seen in Figs. 5,6 and 7 and at the right of Fig. 1 already described. and need not be described in greater detail, as the description of the right hand end will suiiice for both.

In about the middle of Flg. 1 I have shown the bar 61 mounted on the. narrow pivotally bracket 57 will be apparent from the ing shaft 62, said bar being adapted to coart with stops of the carrier rods, but as this construction is well known, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate or describe the same in greater detail.

It will be evident that any suitable means oi. energizing the Various electroinagnets seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and magnetizing their stationary cores and controlling the circuits thereof may be employed in conjunction with manually operated switches and in Fig. 1, I have shown one system of electrical connections which will in practice give satisfactory and reliable results.

63 designates a line which is grounded at one end to the frame 64 of the machine, said line leading to the battery 65. From the battery 65 leads a line 66 to the lines 67, 68, 69. T0, T1. 72, T3, 74 and 75.

From the line 67 leads the line 76 to the electroinagnet 49. From the line 68 leads the line '77 to the electromagnet 40. From the line 69 leads the line 78 to the electro magnet 35. From the line leads the line 79 to the electromagnet 30. From the line 71 leads the line 80'to the electromagnet 25. From the line 72 leads the line 81 to the electromagnet 20. From the line 73 leads the line 82 to the eleetromagnet 15. From the line 74 leads'the line 83 to the electro-' V magnet 10. From the line leads the line 84 to the electromagnet 58. The current leading from the battery 65 by way of the line 66 to the wires already described, which connect the magnets 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35,-

40, 49 and 58 returns by the way of conductors, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98, to the frame of the machine, to line 63 and back to the battery 15, as I have diagrammatica lly illustrated, and as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various lines are each provided with switches as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 1, of any conventional type, so that it will be apparent that upon closing any one of the switches controlling the various lines referred to, thedesired electromagnet can be instantly energized, thereby attracting and gripping its respective magnet rod, whereby the desired carrier rod can be reciprocated, so long as the proper circuit is closed.

The advantages incident to my electrically controlled device, over the present system, wherein the manually controlled fric- 1 tion boxes are employed, are as follows:

When the leg portion of a full fashion stocking is being knitted, the carrier rod used for the same will reciprocate the full width thereof or about 14 inches together with the respective friction boxes. When the narrowing of the leg portion begins, the stroke of said carrier rod will be reduced by stops mounted on the carrier rods coming in contact with the stop brackets. The friction box rod at this pointwill continue be placed underneath the same if to reciprocate its full stroke and therefore the friction box in the prior art structures will slide on said rod, as known to those skilled in the art.

In my present invention, the friction boxes are dispensed with, and it will be readily seen that by employing my ele'ctrically controlled devices, by means of the magnets and their adjuncts, as heretofore described, all manual operations pertaining to the friction boxes are dispensed with, the

desired carrier rodor rods being caused to function instantly upon the closing of a switch.

It will also be understood that during the 1 the magnet still being energized will fric tionally ride on the face of the magnet rod.

It will be further understood that if desired I may mount all the magnets and their adjuncts at one end of the knitting machine, or at any other suitable points, which may be desired. The purpose of mounting the magnets in the manner shown, is to keep the same away from the silk, cotton, etc.

It will be understood that while I have shown the brackets seen in Figs. 8 "to 14 as mounted above the carrier rods, they may esired without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having-thus described by-invention, what I claim, as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character stated, the combination of a longitudinally extending rod, an electromagnet mounted thereon, a magnet rod in sliding frictional contact with the core of said magnet, carrierrods and brackets common to said magnet rod and said carrier rods.

2. In a device of the character stated, the combination of a longitudinall extending rod, an electromagnet mounted thereon, a magnet rod in sliding frictional contact with the core of said, magnet, carrier rods,

brackets common to said magnet rod and said carrier rods, an electric circuit for said magnet and circuit opening and closing devices for said electromagnet.

3. The combination of a lon itudinally extending rod of a straight knitting machine, carrier rods therefor, brackets hav- \ing one end secured to said carrier rods, an electromagnet having a core, and a magnet 4. In a device of the character stated, a

rod, a plurality of electromagnets mounted thereon and having cores therefor, magnet rods in sliding frictional'contact witheach of said cores, a plurality of carrier rods and end brackets of varying lengths, connected at one of theirends to said magnet rods and at their other ends to said carrier rods respectively;

5. In a device of the character stated, a rod, a plurality of electromagnets mounted thereon and having a stationary core, .a magnet rod in sliding frictional contact with each of said cores, a plurality of carrier rods and brackets of varying lengths transversely arranged with respect thereto and having one of their ends connected to said magnet rod and the otherof their ends connected to said carrier rods respectively, an electric circuit for said magnets and circuit opening and closing devices therefor.

6. The combination of carrier rods of-a straight knitting machine, magnet rods havingthe same rectilinear line of movement as said carrier rods, a bracket extending'from each magnet rod to its respective carrier rod, whereby a magnet rod, bracket and carrier rod reciprocate in unison, a longitudinally extending rod and electrically controlled electromagnet devices mounted on'said latter rod-for causing the latter, a magnet rod and a desired carrier 'rodjto reciprocate in unison when said magnet is energized.

7. The combination of carrier rods of a straight knitting machine, magnet rods having the same rectilinear line of movement as said carrier rods and arranged in parallelism therewith, abracket extending transversely from each magnet rod'to its respective carrier rod, whereby a magnet rod, bracket and carriedrod are actuated in unison, a longitudinally extending rod electrically? controlled electromagnet devices mounted on said latterv rod and means for causing the latter, a magnet rod and the desired carrier rod to reciprocate in unison,

upon the energizing of a desired magnet.

8. The combination of a straight knitting machine, a plurality of magnet rods, a plurality of carrier'rods in parallelism therewith, a plurality of transverse brackets common to said ma et rods and carrier rods, each bracket being successively of greater length in order to bridge the space between a magnet rod and its res ective carrier rod, a longitudinally exten ing rod and electrically controlled means common to said latter rod, and said magnet rods for causing a desired-magnet rod and its carrier rod to be actuated in unison with aid longitudinally extending rod, upon the closing of a desired electric circuit.

9. In a device of the character stated, the combination of a slur cock rod, electromagnets mounted on the opposite ends thereof and provided with cores, magnet rods adapted to be attracted and gripped by said cores, when said magnets are energized, an

arm and bracket moveable in unison with said magnet rods and plating clamp arms pivotally mounted upon said brackets and adapted when said magnets are energized to engage a desired carrier rod during the plating operation.

10. In a device of the character stated, the

combination of a slur cock rod, a longitudinally extending rod, means for actuating said and its respective carrier rod, a plurality of electromagnets mounted upon said slur cock rod near the ends thereof andhaving cores therefor, magnet rods forsaid last mentioned electromagnets in frictional sliding contact with the cores thereof, a,rod con-' nected to each of said latter magnet rods, an

arm and a bracket on each of said latter rods, guiding means for said arms and brackets and a plating arm pivotally mounted on each of said brackets and adapted to engage and actuate a desired, carried rod during the plating operation.

11. In a device of the character stated, the combination of a slur cock rod, a longitudinally extending rod, means for actuating said rods in unison, a series of electro-Inagnets mounted on said longitudinally extending rod and provided with stationary cores, a series of magnet rods in frictional sliding contact with said cores and adapted to be gripped thereby when said magnets are energized, a plurality of carrier rods, a plu- Q rality of transverse brackets of varying lengths common to each of said magnet rods, and its respective carrier rod, a plurality of electromagnets mounted near the ends of said slur cock rod and having cores therefor, magnet rods for said last mentioned electromagnets in frictional sliding contact with the cores thereof, a rod connected to said last named magnet rods, an arm and a bracket on said rod, guiding means for said arm and brackets and adapted to engage and actuate a desired carrier rod during the plating operation and circuit opening and closing devices for all of said magnets whereby any desired magnet may be energized at will.

JAMES E. SHOEMAKER, Witnesses: E. HAYWARD FAIRBANKS, Wu. D. Dowm. 

